Mesh-stripper for hand-operated knitting machines



Nov. 24, 1959. PlLTZ 2,913,889

MESH-STRIPPER FOR HAND-OPERATED KNITTING MACHINES Filed May 16, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 E. PILTZ MESH-STRIPPER FOR HAND-OPERATED KNITTING MACHINES Filed May 16, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 mmitw United States Patent 7 1,913,889' MESH-STRIPPER- FOR HAND-OPERATED KNITTING MACHINES Erich Piltz, Markdorf, Baden, Germany, assignor t0 Willy Werner Lenkert, Markuori', Baden, Germany Myinvention relates to hand-operated knitting m'achines of the type which has knitting needles supported by a horizontal or almost horizontal bed and is operated by. an. eccentric lock moving to and fro in a direction crossing the longitudinal. direction of the needles. It is known to provide these machines with mesh-strippers which move usually together with the lock, have an operating edge positioned under the level of the needlesand have a length which is about equal to the parallel width of the lock.

These machines have to produce knitted goods in one piece. Hence it is necessary to pick up and drop a more or less large number oftrneshes laterally during the knittingoperation. It is known that contractions of the knitted product, especially in its marginal zone, occur because of inner tensions, already when the knitting proceeds straight up and much more when it includes lateral pick-ups. These contractions can be overcome only partly by the vertical pull of the usual weights, even when additional lateral weights are applied.

It will be understood that owing to the above mentioned drawback the known mesh-strippers can function only when sufiicient additional pull weights are suspended on: or near the rim of theknitted product at the right time. If this is not done at the proper time, stitches are dropped and knitting is interrupted.

I have found that knitting machines of the above mentioned type operate satisfactorily, the inner tensions of the knitted goods are partly overcome, the pull weights may be reduced and additional marginal weights may be totally or at least partly omitted if a mesh-stripper is used when operates under the level of the needles and is provided with surfaces contacting the knitted goods during movement of the lock in such a manner that these sur faces urge the knitted goods in a direction perpendicular to the direction of the lock movement.

The surfaces responsible for additional action in directions other than the longitudinal direction of the needles may be positioned on movable teeth which enter the meshes. These teeth 'may be parts of toothed wheels carried rotatably by the mesh-stripper and arranged in one or more planes. Or the teeth may be parts of an endless connected band slung about rollers which are carried rotatably by the mesh-stripper. For example, this band may form an endless belt, and the teeth may be secured in this belt by vulcanization. Of course, the teeth entering the meshes move relatively to the lock in the direction opposite to the lock movement. Also in an embodiment having movable teeth, it is of advantage to position the mesh-stripper with the teeth carrying elements so obliquely that the same rise toward the level of the needles in the longitudinal direction of the needles.

It is also possible and advantageous to combine upward bent end surfaces with teeth of toothed wheels or of an endless band. In this case, the movable teeth are arranged between the upward bent ends which extend beyond the eccentric lock curve. Also in this case, it is of advantage 2,913,889 Patented Nov. 24, 1959 if the mesh-stripper meets the knitted meshes in a direction rising obliquely toward the level of the needles.

It is an object of my invention to exert a force on the meshes hanging on the needles in directions crossing the needles, in addition to, the pressure shifting the meshes in the longitudinal direction of the needles, thereby to counteract the inner tensions of the knitting, thereby to make possible the use of fewer and lighter pull weights and to avoid the necessity of applying marginal weights or other means for loading the marginal zones when considerable lateral additions are made to the knitting, and to safeguard an uninterrupted knitting process independently of sufiicient pull.

Other objects are to attain these results with simple and reliable means, and to simplify the operation of a hand-operated knitting machine.

Still other objects and advantages will appear from the following description of examplifying embodiments of my invention, from the appended claims and from the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 illustrates in top view a hand-operated knitting machine provided with a mesh-stripper having rotatably arranged toothed wheels;

Figure 2 is a sectional view along line II--II in Figure 1;.

Figure 3 is the top view of a mesh-stripper, in which teeth are provided on an endless band moving over rollers;

Figure 4 is a sectional view along line VH VII in Figure 3;

Figure 5 is the top view of a mesh-stripper provided with rotatably arranged toothed wheels arranged in two planes; and

Figure 6 is a sectional view along line VIIL-VIII in Fig. 5.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, in Figures 1-6 reference symbol 1 denotes the frame of a hand-operated knitting machine, 2 the needle bed, 3 the knitting needles, which are operated by lock 4 over curved cam track 5. Reference numeral 6 denotes a holder which is affixed to the lock 4 and carries mesh-stripper 7 which is adjustably connected with the holder 6. 8 denotes end p'ortions projecting beyond cam track 5, on bothsides, and 9 indicates bent portions between said ends 8 and the intermediate connecting member 10, to which the holding lug 11 is connected. Teeth 12 are provided on connecting member 10 on endless band 14 over roller 13. 15 denotes toothed wheels arranged in member 10 in one plane, while toothed wheels 16 are arranged in a second plane, between wheels 15.

The mesh-strippers embodying the present invention operate in devices illustrated in Figures 1-6 in such a manner that intermediate connecting member 10, carried by holding lug 11, acts on the knitted material below the needle plane within the cam track 5, while above the latter ends 8 which project on both sides and are bent upward at 9, exert pressure perpendicularly relative to the direction of the needle plane, primarily at bend 9, where needles 3 enter cam track 5.

An endless band 14 is provided in connecting member 10, said band moving over rollers 13 arranged in the mesh-stripper and being provided with teeth 12, which roll on their supporting band over the meshes. These teeth likewise act on the knitted material in the direction of the needle bed and also perpendicularly thereto.

The mesh-stripper shown in Figs. 5 and 6 does not have end portions forming a rising step and does not have a toothed belt. instead, toothed wheels 15 and 16 are provided which are rotatably carried by the bar 10 and are positioned parallel to the latters surface in a direction obliquely rising toward the lock and the level of the needles. Preferably, these toothed wheels are arranged in more than one row at different levels. For example, there is one row of wheels 15 positioned over another row of wheels 16. The wheels 15 and 16 alternate and overlap in the direction parallel to the lock movement, and axles of wheels of one row extend in gaps between the wheels of the other row. The teeth of the wheels 15 and 16 which extend toward the lock engage the meshes, act on the knitted goods and move in a manner corresponding to the teeth 12 of the embodiment illustrated by Figs. 3 and 4.

It is to be understood that my invention is not confined to the particular embodiments shown and described, and may be carried out in other ways within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of my invention as it is obvious that the particular embodiments shown and described are only a few of the many that may be employed to attain the objects of my invention.

The term mesh stripper, wherever it appears in this specification and in the appended claims, indicates an element which sometimes has been denoted by the term loop re-pusher in the art of knitting machines.

Reference is made to my application, Ser. No. 377,567, filed August 31, 1953, now Patent No. 2,817,962, for Mesh-Stripper for Hand-Operated Knitting Machines, of which this application is a continuation-in-part.

What is claimed is:

1. In a knitting machine having substantially horizontally bedded needles, which are independently movable, and a lock movable to and fro in a direction crossing said needles and engaging the same operatively, the needles being operated by said lock over a cam track, a mesh-stripper operating below the level of said needles, moving with said lock and being provided with movable teeth for entering meshes.

2. A knitting machine as claimed in claim 1, in which the teeth are provided on an endless band moving over rollers arranged in the mesh-stripper.

3. A knitting machine as claimed in claim 1, inwhich the mesh-stripper shows an ascent toward the needle plane, in the longitudinal direction of the needles.

4. In a knitting machine having substantially horizontally bedded needles, which are independently movable, and a lock movable to and fro in a direction crossing said needles and engaging the same operatively, the needles being operated by said lock over a cam track, a meshstripper operating below the level of said needles, moving with said lock and comprising toothed wheels for entering meshes, said wheels being rotatably arranged in the mesh-stripper.

5. A knitting machine as claimed in claim 4, in which the toothed wheels are arranged in several planes.

6. In a knitting machine having substantially horizontally bedded needles, which are indepedently movable, and a lock movable to and fro in a direction crossing said needles and engaging the same operatively, the needles being operated by said lock over a cam track, a meshstripper connected and moving with said lock, having a bar extending under the level of said needles in said direction of movement, having rollers rotatably carried by said bar and arranged in a row parallel to said direction of movement, and having portions extending upward to said level, said portions urging the knitted goods in the direction of the plane of the needles, said portions forming an endless connected toothed band engaging said rollers.

7. In a knitting machine having substantially horizontally bedded needles, which are independently movable, and a lock movable to and fro in a direction crossing said needles and engaging the same operatively, the needles being operated by said lock over a cam track, a mesh-stripper connected and moving with said lock, having a bar extending under the level of said needles in said direction of movement, and having portions extending upward to said level, said portions urging the knitted goods in the direction of the plane of the needles, some of said portions forming step-wise elevated, lengthwise extensions of said bar, and some other portions forming teeth pointing toward said lock, being movably connected with said bar and arranged between the stepwise elevated portions. 

